2 Leader of the coalition

After the death of the Emperor, Yuan Shao was a chief ally of He Jin, who assumed leadership of the regular bureaucracy against the eunuch faction. He Jin had him promoted to become Colonel Director of Retainers in order to avoid a coup d'etat by the eunuchs. The post had judicial power over the territory surrounding the capital. When He Jin was assassination at the Southern Palace on 22 September, Yuan Shao moved quickly with his uncle the Grand Tutor Yuan Wei to purge the supporters of the eunuchs. Then, with his troops and those of his cousin (or brother) Yuan Shu, he entered the imperial palaces and massacred 2000 eunuchs, causing widespread turmoil in the city of Luoyang. The arrival of the frontier commander Dong Zhuo and his army on the 25th complicated the political situation still further. Following a disagreement with Dong over the fate of the new Emperor, Yuan fled the capital for the eastern provinces. Dong Zhuo set up his candidate, the future Emperor Xian on the throne and attempted overtures of peace to Yuan Shao, even making him Grand Administrator of Bohai.

By the beginning of 190, however, Yuan Shao was openly hostile. A coalition of regional officials and commanders from the eastern provinces elected him commander-in-chief and took up positions around Luoyang. Yuan Shao declared himself General of Chariots and Cavalry and camped at Henei, near a crossing point of the Yellow River just north of the capital. On 10 May, Dong Zhuo had Yuan Shao's relatives at the capital killed, including his uncle Yuan Wei and his cousin Yuan Ji, ending any chance of a reconciliation. Many members of the coalition against Dong Zhuo took up arms under the banner of avenging the Yuan family. Dong Zhuo had the emperor taken to Chang'an and a few months later, he burned Luoyang to the ground and himself withdrew to the west. The confrontation degenerated into a stalemate and the leaders of the coalition gradually lost interest in ousting Dong.

3 Warlord state

In 191, Yuan Shao took over administration of Ji province from the governor Han Fu and began building a warlord state from his headquarters at Ye 鄴. Soon afterward, he engaged in a general alliance with Liu Biao against other warlords - Yuan Shu and Gongsun Zan. In the winter of that year, he successively defended the integrity of his borders by defeating the cavalry forces of the northern warlord Gongsun Zan (公孫瓚) at the Battle of Jieqiao (界橋) with the use of massed crossbowmen. The next year he defeated Gongsun a second time, at Longcou (龍湊). Yuan Shao then turned southwest to destroy the Heishan bandits and remove the threat to his western flank. He advanced into their mountain strongholds along the Taihang Mountains and killed a number of their leaders. With the soldier of fortune Lü Bu on his side, Yuan also engaged with Zhang Yan and his non-Chinese allies.

In following years, Yuan Shao achieved considerable success in consolidating his domains and absorbing the smaller powers around him. In 196 his prominent in north China was recognized by Emperor Xian, who granted the position of General-in-chief and the title of Marquis of Ye 鄴侯. In 198 Yuan Shao advanced in force against Gongsun Zan and encircled his base at Yijing (易京). By early 199 Gongsun had been destroyed and Yuan held legitimate power over the four provinces north of the Yellow River. There were even suggestions by at least one of his lieutenants that he should take the throne for himself. Yuan Shao established alliances with the Wuhuan tribes of the northern frontier and turned his attention to Cao Cao, who had been consolidating his power in the south.

Both sides made preparations for a decisive battle and toward the end of 199 skirmishes were already being fought at Liyang, a major crossing point of the Yellow River. Cao Cao prepared his defenses around Guandu, slightly south of the river. Yuan Shao himself advanced in force in 200 and the resulting campaign is known as the Battle of Guandu. Heavily outnumbering Cao and holding large numbers of cavalry, Yuan's initial attacks almost overwhelmed Cao Cao's positions. A strike at Yuan Shao's supply lines later in the year however, brought the northern army to collapse. As his generals defected, Yuan fled across the Yellow River with his sons, leaving much of his baggage and men behind.

His first major defeat was also a decisive one. After Guandu, Yuan Shao lost the initiative and never regained it. In 202, he was again defeated, this time at Cangting , another crossing point on the Yellow River. He died soon after, on 28 June 202, dejected and disappointed. His domains were left to his third son Yuan Shang , and the succession was a source of much antagonism. A rival faction under the eldest son Yuan Tan was openly hostile. Cao Cao was able to play them against each other and by 207 had destroyed the Yuans and conquered the north.